After all was said and done, I had the opportunity to chat with your new 2014 FIA Formula One World Drivers’ Champion*, Lewis Hamilton, in an exclusive Inside BlackBerry Q&A. I won’t keep you waiting — here’s what he had to say.

Lewis Hamilton Q&A

Halliwell: What drives you to be the best you can be?

Hamilton: “I always want to be the best at what I do. As a kid, whatever I was doing, if I was playing football or whatever I was applying my energy to at the time, I always wanted to do it to the best of my abilities. And I was always interested in finding out how I could do it better.

In racing there are always things you can learn, every single day. There is always space for improvement, and I think that applies to everything in life. That’s something that I really took from when I met Nelson Mandela years ago, and he said ‘I’m still learning’ and he was 92!

I’ve also taken a lot of inspiration from observing and learning about sportsmen I admire. Watching the likes of Ayrton Senna and Muhammad Ali compete, reading about them, seeing how they handled their preparation and so on.”

Halliwell: What’s your most memorable moment from this season?

Hamilton: “Without a doubt, Silverstone. Winning your home Grand Prix is something every racing driver always wants to achieve. The race weekend this year was particularly special for me. The support from the fans was an indescribable experience, it really is unbelievable. And the motivation I take from that support is huge. I try to imagine what it’s like for the fans who are in the campsites, and those who wake up early to travel to the circuit to watch the race. I try and envisage what they’re feeling, why they do it. And I want to ensure I put on the best performance I can for them. “

Halliwell: It truly is a team effort to be able make it to the circuit, let alone to finish, let alone win. What message do you have for your teammates, crew and fans?

Hamilton: “My saying is; We win and lose together. I think that really does apply to both my fans, family and the team. With the team, whether it be my guys that are at each Grand Prix, the team back at the factory who work day and night to develop the car, build the parts and send the parts, the IT team, and the crew cleaning the factory. Everyone. We do it together. We all feel the joy when we are winning and the same pain when we are losing.

And that applies also to my fans and family. I always remind myself if I’m having a down day because of a bad race it’s not just me. That feeling I’m having is shared by my family, the team and my fans. When we win they feel the joy as well. That’s why I say we win and lose together, and I definitely couldn’t do it without them.”

Halliwell:Through a long season on the road, how do you stay in touch with your family and close friends?

Hamilton: “That’s the great thing about today, having smartphones to stay in touch and share experiences. 99% of your friends and family can’t be with you throughout the year, travel to all the countries you get to go to, meet all the different people, and experience the experiences you’re having. My BlackBerry enables me to stay connected, whether that be through the immediacy of BBM or sharing photos. Knowing that whilst there may be thousands of miles between you, it’s almost like they’re there. That’s the coolest thing, and that’s how I stay in touch with the people that are important to me.”

Halliwell: What are the fundamental reasons why these cars were so dominant this season?

Hamilton: “It’s clear that we have a great package overall, but it’s not just the car itself, MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS is an incredible team of people. For me, what has been really important this year is that the management of the team have placed people who are best at a certain job in the correct position. And everyone is passionate and has the same inner drive as me to win.”

Halliwell: How do you plan to relax and replenish during the offseason?

Hamilton: “The off-season is crucial for my 2015 preparation, both physically and also to take a break, to relax and recharge. I always spend it in the mountains, it’s great to be in the snow during the Christmas period. I get to do to a bit of skiing in the mountains as part of my winter training, and spend time regrouping with friends and family, enjoying board games, Yahtzee is a particular favourite, and great food.”

Halliwell: Talk to me about security, and how it is vital to maintain the competitive advantage in Formula 1.

Hamilton: “Security is really important to us as we need to keep our data, designs and upgrades secure. It’s important that all information, data, general communication is transferred in the correct and safest way, and for the team to be working with BlackBerry enables us to do that.”

Halliwell: What BlackBerry device are you using currently and what is your favourite feature of the device?

Hamilton: “I’ve just got the BlackBerry Passport… The keyboard is cool, and will certainly appeal to the original BlackBerry users. I am also impressed by the screen resolution and the size of it, it feels like I have a small laptop in your hands, but one that is really mobile. “

Halliwell: Who did you last send a BBM to?

Hamilton: “Just my boys. My friend Jan has always been on BlackBerry, he is one of your best customers, so we keep in touch on BBM all the time!”

Halliwell: Who is the key person at the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team that you talk to on a regular basis?

Hamilton: “My engineers are the people I speak to most, Bono and Jock. I am constantly in touch with them, we’re always talking about identifying areas we can improve. We never stop!”

Halliwell: Does your BlackBerry make your life easier in this regard?

Hamilton: “Yes, 100%. We don’t need to be in the same place to do our work effectively.”

Halliwell: You’ve mentioned you use your smartphone to share photos with your friends and family across the season, what is the best picture you have taken on your BlackBerry in 2014?

Hamilton: “The best picture I have taken on my BlackBerry is probably a group shot of me and my friends after just finishing whitewater rafting. In the picture you’ve got all us jumping in the air which is really cool.”

Halliwell: What three things do you always take with you when you travel?

Hamilton: “Actually, that’s a hard question, what three things do you take? One way or another someone is going to say “oh he is dirty, he doesn’t take any spare boxer shorts, spare tops or deodorant!” And I guess I should say passport, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere! This could go on!”

Halliwell:Any last messages for #TeamBlackBerry and all the Inside BlackBerry readers out there?

Hamilton: “I would like to say to BlackBerry, I know you’ve have had some tough times over the last few years, and I admire how you keep going and keep pushing, striving to do better and never giving up. We’re all seeing the results of that and I respect how you’re going about it.”

Thanks for reading, tune in next season as we continue to bring you the action from the team on Inside BlackBerry.

*Subject to official confirmation by the FIA of the results of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship

It’s been truly an outstanding performance by the team this campaign, and as we’ve discussed on Inside BlackBerry, we’re proud technology partners and members of the team. The innovation and collaboration at the team level is second to none. Putting these machines out on the track week after week is as gruelling and concentration-testing as driving them around a circuit for hundreds of miles, shaving fractions off of lap times to earn that checkered flag.

Here are my 5 reasons you should definitely catch some of the action this weekend, which should be dramatic to say the least, even for the non-fans out there.

1.

The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team (Team BlackBerry, to me) is on top. There are three remaining Formula One™ Grands Prix all landing in the moustache month, including this weekend’s Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. But the dominance of the BlackBerry-sponsored MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team led them to clinch the 2014 FIA Formula One Constructors’ Championship two weeks ago.

2.

Tight standings and a truly hot rivalry amongst the top drivers means no shortage of drama. MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS’ two drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, have been exchanging the top spot on the individual leaderboard for the last several months. Hamilton leads Rosberg by just 17 points. If they finish 1-2, it would be the first time in a decade that teammates end up in the top two positions in the Drivers’ Championship.

3.

New “Double Points” race keeps stakes high until the end of the season. With 25 points awarded per race in Austin and Brazil, and a controversial new “Double Points” race in Abu Dhabi where 50 points will be awarded, the perfect recipe for a truly-thrilling conclusion to the season is in the works. The Constructors’ Championship may be signed, sealed and delivered (to the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team), but make no mistake, the excitement is just heating up for the drivers, who lay it all on the line each time they take to the track.

4.

U.S.A. | U.S.A. | U.S .A. – The U.S. Grand Prix is a “must watch” race as the sport picks up attention Stateside.

5.

185 mph (300+ km/h) – the approximate speed at which these machines and drivers are put through their paces on the track. These machines are multi-million dollar marvels of technology. The drivers are athletes through and through with precision, agility and stamina to rival any other. And the teams that are required to keep the whole operation running are something to behold.

Do you agree? What are the reasons you watch (or don’t watch) Formula One? Let me know in the comments below.

]]>http://blogs.blackberry.com/2014/11/watch-f1-mercedes/feed/0On-track cropdonnyhalliwellMERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 Car on track with BlackBerry logo shownBlackBerry and the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Team hit the streets of Montreal at the Canadian Grand Prixhttp://blogs.blackberry.com/2013/06/blackberry-mercedes-amg-petronas-canadian-grand-prix-montreal/
http://blogs.blackberry.com/2013/06/blackberry-mercedes-amg-petronas-canadian-grand-prix-montreal/#commentsFri, 21 Jun 2013 16:57:58 +0000http://blogs.blackberry.com/?p=17276/ Read More]]>Less than a month ago the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team took the stage at BlackBerry Live 2013 to help introduce BBM Channels. We caught up with them in Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix and asked blogger, and huge BlackBerry fan, Carl Edwin-Michel, to partner with us as our guest blogger for the weekend.

Be sure to join us for the British Grand Prix in Silverstone June 28-30. Have you been following the team? What race has been your favorite so far? Share in the comments below.

]]>http://blogs.blackberry.com/2013/06/blackberry-mercedes-amg-petronas-canadian-grand-prix-montreal/feed/0melmassonBlackBerry Live 2013: Interview with Lewis Hamilton and Nick Fry of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Team [VIDEO]http://blogs.blackberry.com/2013/05/lewis-hamilton-interview/
http://blogs.blackberry.com/2013/05/lewis-hamilton-interview/#commentsWed, 15 May 2013 19:33:55 +0000http://blogs.blackberry.com/?p=17018/ Read More]]>It’s been a week full of exciting announcements and surprise celebrity guests here at the BlackBerry Live conference in Orlando. Onstage during the keynote, Thorsten Heins welcomed Lewis Hamilton of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team to introduce BBM Channels. He later joined Nick Fry, Former CEO and Consultant to the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team in a panel session at the conference.

I was fortunate enough to have some time to chat with Lewis about how he’ll be using BBM Channels to connect with his fans and the source of his ambition and drive for greatness. Check out my brief video interview with him below:

In the interview Lewis talked about how the team is always looking forward to new technologies in social media that allow them to connect to their fans. Fans are a big source of inspiration and with BBM channels, he’ll be able to connect with them in a new and highly engaged way.

BBM Channels allows individuals and groups to create a dedicated channel and share information and updates with the immediacy that BBM offers. BBM customers around the world will be able to connect and share information, broadcast about themselves to their channel, or join their favorite communities and share their experiences of the channel with their BBM contacts.

I then had the chance to talk with Nick Fry about synergies between the BlackBerry and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS brands and how to manage a large team in mission critical operations. BlackBerry is helping the team harness the power of every individual on the team, something that Fry says is essential.